Top 100 Countries by Health Spending per Capita, 2026
How Much Countries Spend on Healthcare Per Person
The United States has the highest value in this ranking at $13,473.19 per person, followed by Switzerland at $11,783.67 and Liechtenstein at $11,494.96. The metric is current health expenditure per capita in current U.S. dollars.
The ranking uses the latest values available in the World Bank World Development Indicators file updated July 1, 2026. Most country values refer to 2023, 22 refer to 2024, and Cuba uses its latest available 2020 value. It is therefore a latest-data snapshot rather than a single-year 2026 comparison.
Country values and reference years come from World Bank WDI. Regional labels follow World Bank metadata, while the underlying health-expenditure series and definitions come from the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database.
United States, 2023.
Malaysia, 2023. This is the cutoff for the displayed Top 100, not the global minimum.
Calculated from ranks 50 and 51.
Highest values among countries with data in the selected WDI series.
Annual health expenditure per person at market exchange rates.
What Health Spending per Capita Measures
Current health expenditure per capita measures the annual value of healthcare goods and services consumed in a country, divided by its population. It includes spending financed through government schemes, compulsory insurance, voluntary insurance, household payments and external sources.
The indicator covers current consumption of healthcare. It does not represent only the government health budget, and it excludes capital formation such as construction of new hospitals and other long-lived assets. Values are converted to current U.S. dollars, so they are nominal rather than inflation-adjusted or purchasing-power-adjusted.
Use the ranking to compare the monetary scale of healthcare consumption per resident. Do not use it alone as a score of healthcare quality, access, efficiency, financial protection or health outcomes.
Why Health Spending Differs Between Countries
Healthcare spending per person is shaped by medical prices, service use, population needs, financing arrangements and currency movements. Two countries can spend different amounts even when they provide a similar range of services.
Medical prices and wages
Higher salaries for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, along with higher hospital and medicine prices, can raise spending without producing a proportional increase in the amount of care delivered.
Volume and intensity of care
More consultations, procedures, diagnostic tests, prescriptions and hospital activity increase expenditure. Greater use of specialist treatment and complex technology can add further costs.
Population age and health needs
Older populations and a higher prevalence of chronic disease can increase demand for medicines, rehabilitation, long-term treatment and repeated contact with health services.
Financing and administration
Public insurance, compulsory insurance, private insurance and direct household payments create different administrative costs and incentives. The indicator combines these financing channels rather than measuring only public expenditure.
Exchange rates
A stronger national currency can raise the value expressed in U.S. dollars, while depreciation can lower it even when domestic-currency healthcare spending changes less.
Country size and imported care
Small high-income states can record high per-person values because expenditure is divided across a limited population. Imported medicines, cross-border treatment and large one-year costs can also have a greater effect in small systems.
Top 10 Countries by Current Health Expenditure per Person
The United States spends about 14.3% more per person than Switzerland. Liechtenstein is close to Switzerland, but the value then falls by more than $3,100 between third-ranked Liechtenstein and fourth-ranked Norway.
Top 10 by latest available value in current U.S. dollars
| Rank | Country | Per capita | Region · year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | $13,473.19 | North America · 2023 |
| 2 | Switzerland | $11,783.67 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 3 | Liechtenstein | $11,494.96 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 4 | Norway | $8,296.36 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 5 | Luxembourg | $8,169.91 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 6 | Monaco | $8,004.17 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 7 | Iceland | $7,641.57 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 8 | Ireland | $7,394.85 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 9 | Australia | $6,980.39 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 10 | Germany | $6,849.26 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
The year is shown in every row. Values are ranked from full-precision WDI observations and rounded to two decimals for display.
Top 20 Countries by Health Spending per Capita
The United States, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are separated from the rest of the Top 20. New Zealand is twentieth at $5,022.03 per person, while 16 of the 20 countries are in Europe and Central Asia.
Nominal US Dollars vs PPP-Adjusted Health Spending
A current-dollar ranking compares spending after conversion at market exchange rates. A PPP-adjusted ranking estimates how much healthcare the same spending can purchase after differences in domestic price levels are taken into account.
Current US$ per person
This measure is useful for comparing nominal monetary values and the international dollar cost of healthcare. It is sensitive to exchange rates, inflation and differences in national price levels.
PPP-adjusted spending per person
This measure is better suited to comparing the approximate volume of healthcare resources that local spending can buy. PPP adjustment can change the order because medical services cost less in some countries than market exchange rates suggest.
For a purchasing-power comparison, see Health Expenditure per Capita in PPP Terms.
Methodology
Metric and unit
World Bank indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD measures current health expenditure per capita in current U.S. dollars. The underlying international source is the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database.
Ranking order
Countries are sorted from the highest raw value to the lowest. Full-precision values determine the rank, while two-decimal values are used for display.
Countries included
The ranking includes sovereign states with a non-missing value in the selected WDI series. World Bank aggregate rows, regional totals, income groups, territories and dependencies are excluded.
Missing data
Countries without a reported value are omitted. Missing values are not replaced with zero, copied from another year or estimated locally.
Reference years
Each country uses its latest value in the July 1, 2026 WDI file. The table contains 22 values from 2024, 77 from 2023 and one from 2020.
WHO data treatment
WHO may estimate, harmonize or validate national health-account data when submissions are incomplete or require adjustment for international comparability.
Regional labels
Regions follow current World Bank metadata, including Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Malta is classified under Europe and Central Asia.
Data sources
World Bank WDI supplies country values and years, World Bank metadata supplies regional labels, and WHO GHED supplies the underlying health-account data and definitions.
The Top 100 median is the midpoint between Panama at rank 50 and Croatia at rank 51: ($1,557.812866 + $1,548.339600) ÷ 2 = $1,553.076233, displayed as $1,553.08.
Current-dollar values are affected by exchange rates and price levels. The ranking does not measure PPP-adjusted resources, government spending alone, health-system quality, access, waiting times, equity, efficiency, financial protection, life expectancy or other health outcomes.
Full Top 100 Health Spending per Capita Ranking
Latest available current health expenditure per capita, current US$
| Rank | Country | Per capita | Region · year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | $13,473.19 | North America · 2023 |
| 2 | Switzerland | $11,783.67 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 3 | Liechtenstein | $11,494.96 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 4 | Norway | $8,296.36 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 5 | Luxembourg | $8,169.91 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 6 | Monaco | $8,004.17 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 7 | Iceland | $7,641.57 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 8 | Ireland | $7,394.85 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 9 | Australia | $6,980.39 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 10 | Germany | $6,849.26 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 11 | Netherlands | $6,845.14 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 12 | Denmark | $6,745.06 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 13 | Austria | $6,739.31 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 14 | Sweden | $6,484.76 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 15 | Canada | $6,377.97 | North America · 2024 |
| 16 | Belgium | $5,931.01 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 17 | United Kingdom | $5,860.24 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 18 | Finland | $5,515.40 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 19 | France | $5,327.43 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 20 | New Zealand | $5,022.03 | East Asia & Pacific · 2024 |
| 21 | Israel | $3,927.70 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 2023 |
| 22 | San Marino | $3,923.52 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 23 | Singapore | $3,921.60 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 24 | Japan | $3,638.19 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 25 | Malta | $3,623.46 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 26 | Andorra | $3,605.20 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 27 | Italy | $3,397.69 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 28 | Slovenia | $3,370.53 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 29 | Korea, Rep. | $3,136.79 | East Asia & Pacific · 2024 |
| 30 | Spain | $3,106.62 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 31 | Portugal | $2,971.04 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 32 | Cyprus | $2,899.36 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 33 | Czechia | $2,692.76 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 34 | Estonia | $2,437.84 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 35 | United Arab Emirates | $2,401.52 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 2023 |
| 36 | Nauru | $2,292.37 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 37 | Bahamas, The | $2,262.33 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 38 | Lithuania | $2,232.48 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 39 | Uruguay | $2,076.09 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 40 | Poland | $2,014.13 | Europe & Central Asia · 2024 |
| 41 | Greece | $1,962.60 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 42 | Saudi Arabia | $1,825.25 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 2023 |
| 43 | Slovak Republic | $1,813.47 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 44 | Qatar | $1,804.35 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 2023 |
| 45 | Chile | $1,759.71 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2024 |
| 46 | Tuvalu | $1,723.57 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 47 | Palau | $1,683.85 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 48 | Kuwait | $1,679.12 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 2023 |
| 49 | Latvia | $1,645.42 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 50 | Panama | $1,557.81 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 51 | Croatia | $1,548.34 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 52 | Argentina | $1,456.99 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 53 | Hungary | $1,419.87 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 54 | St. Kitts and Nevis | $1,294.88 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 55 | Barbados | $1,286.48 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 56 | Trinidad and Tobago | $1,276.34 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 57 | Bulgaria | $1,257.88 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 58 | Cuba | $1,199.35 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2020 |
| 59 | Bahrain | $1,175.82 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 2023 |
| 60 | Costa Rica | $1,163.30 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 61 | Maldives | $1,159.03 | South Asia · 2023 |
| 62 | Montenegro | $1,147.70 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 63 | Romania | $1,051.00 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 64 | Brazil | $1,009.84 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 65 | Russian Federation | $1,003.33 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 66 | Serbia | $983.69 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 67 | Marshall Islands | $894.22 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 68 | Antigua and Barbuda | $841.25 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 69 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | $772.89 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 70 | Armenia | $766.96 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 71 | Seychelles | $766.29 | Sub-Saharan Africa · 2023 |
| 72 | China | $763.38 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 73 | Mexico | $760.99 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 74 | Brunei Darussalam | $733.01 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 75 | Oman | $732.04 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 2023 |
| 76 | Colombia | $644.31 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2024 |
| 77 | St. Lucia | $641.07 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 78 | North Macedonia | $639.42 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 79 | Mauritius | $616.21 | Sub-Saharan Africa · 2023 |
| 80 | Albania | $590.63 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 81 | Turkmenistan | $581.38 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 82 | Belarus | $558.23 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 83 | Georgia | $554.32 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 84 | Turkiye | $547.81 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 85 | South Africa | $536.59 | Sub-Saharan Africa · 2023 |
| 86 | Paraguay | $526.51 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 87 | Grenada | $526.39 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 88 | Jamaica | $520.16 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 89 | Ecuador | $509.49 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 90 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | $507.78 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
| 91 | Guyana | $505.03 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 92 | El Salvador | $500.69 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 93 | Dominica | $492.45 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 94 | Kazakhstan | $489.71 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 95 | Botswana | $489.60 | Sub-Saharan Africa · 2023 |
| 96 | Dominican Republic | $488.87 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 97 | Libya | $470.40 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · 2023 |
| 98 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | $469.21 | Latin America & Caribbean · 2023 |
| 99 | Moldova | $451.73 | Europe & Central Asia · 2023 |
| 100 | Malaysia | $450.34 | East Asia & Pacific · 2023 |
All rows use World Bank WDI indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, sourced from WHO GHED. Values are ranked before rounding.
Key Findings from the Top 100
Large gap at the top
The United States leads Switzerland by about $1,689.52 per person, or 14.3%. Liechtenstein is close to Switzerland, but spending then drops by more than $3,100 between ranks three and four.
European concentration
Europe and Central Asia accounts for 48 of the 100 entries and 16 of the Top 20 after Malta is placed in its current World Bank regional group.
Wide middle of the table
The median is $1,553.08. Rank 40 is just above $2,000 per person, while rank 64 is just above $1,000, showing a broad middle rather than one narrow cluster.
Cuba requires caution
Cuba’s rank uses a 2020 value, while the surrounding rows mainly use 2023 data. Its position is therefore not a like-for-like comparison with countries reporting three years later.
How to Interpret the Ranking
The table compares nominal healthcare spending per resident. A high value means that more money is recorded per person after conversion to current U.S. dollars, but it does not show how efficiently the money is used or how evenly care is distributed.
Higher spending can support more staff, medicines, hospital capacity and technology. It can also reflect higher medical prices, administrative costs, heavier use of services or a stronger currency. Lower spending can reflect lower prices, younger populations or fewer resources and more limited access.
For a fuller comparison, pair the ranking with PPP-adjusted health spending, spending as a share of GDP, government and household financing shares, healthcare workforce indicators, service coverage and health outcomes such as life expectancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has the highest health spending per capita?
The United States ranks first at $13,473.19 per person, based on its 2023 value in the World Bank WDI series.
Are these health-spending figures for 2026?
No. This is a 2026 snapshot of the latest available WDI data: 22 values from 2024, 77 from 2023 and one from 2020.
Why are different reference years mixed?
Countries do not report comparable health accounts on the same schedule. The ranking uses each country’s latest available value rather than filling gaps with unsupported 2024 or 2026 figures.
Are all figures direct national reports?
The series is distributed through World Bank WDI and originates in WHO GHED. WHO may validate, harmonize or estimate data when national submissions are incomplete or require adjustment for international comparability.
Does the indicator include only government spending?
No. It includes current healthcare spending financed through government schemes, compulsory and voluntary insurance, households and external sources.
Does higher spending mean better healthcare?
Not necessarily. Spending measures financial resources used, not quality, access, efficiency, equity, waiting times or health outcomes.
What is the difference between current US$ and PPP?
Current US$ uses market exchange rates and is sensitive to currency movements. PPP adjusts for price-level differences and is generally better for comparing how many local healthcare resources the spending can purchase.
Why do several small countries rank highly?
The measure divides national current health expenditure by population. In a small high-income country, a relatively modest national total can become a high per-person value.
What is excluded from current health expenditure?
The indicator focuses on healthcare goods and services consumed during the year. Capital formation, such as construction of new hospitals and major long-lived assets, is excluded.
Sources
World Bank WDI health expenditure indicator
Country values, reference years and full-precision observations for indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD.
WHO Global Health Expenditure Database
International health-account data and definitions used for comparable expenditure statistics.
World Bank country and regional metadata
Regional labels and classification details used in the filters and table.
